Arch support



Sept. 8, 1931. o. HILDEBRANDT ARCH SUPPORT Filed Jan. 51, 1929 //7 Ventor: Ik/Z/IM wM I/ Patented Sept. 8, 1931 irn A i @FFHCE OTTO IIILDEBRANDT, OF BEELIl-l, GERIEANY ART/H SUPPORT Application filed January 31, 1929, Serial No.'336,613, and in Germany February 3, 1928.

This invention relates to an insertion for use in connection with such shoes and boots as are intended to be worn by especially fiatfooted persons; more particularly the in vention relates to such lllSt'lOZlS for the purpose stated as are provided with a 1. shaped or frame-shaped metallic support combined on its inner side with a highly curved-out or cambered supporting DOW serving for the free spreading-out oi supporting surface for the foot.

The new feature of my improved insertion consists therein that the bow in; 011ml in the preceding paragraph and car yin supporting or bearing sole consisting oil a nonextensible, but pliable material is clastie in such a degree that when the sole subjected to the load of the foot it is capable of springing inwardly towards the foot so as to lift the lowered n'ietatarsus bones without spreading them.

Furthermore, in order that the supporting surface for the sore foot can be accommodated quite individually the saddle portion bearing the lowered cavity of the foot is made of a particularly suitable material, as for instance the leather called milled leather, having the property to become exceedingly plastic and yielding when being treated with water and to remain and harden without warping in any shape it has been given.

The use of a material oi? this kind. permits the manufacture of the shoe or boot insertion in series in this way; the supporting saddle is, preliminarily, mamii actured with a somewhat smaller than is normally required, the indivia'lual adaptation to the cavity of the buyers ioot being eil'ected later on.

The invention is illustrated diagrammati ally and by way of example on the acconn panyingdrawings, on which Figure is a plan of an insertion designed according to this invention and Figure 2 is a transverse section in the plane A B of Fig. 1.

The insertion consists chiefly of a metal frame a, the shape of which is accommodated to the shape of the foot. The frame a is, on the side of the cavity, provided with a bow-shaped member 12 extending upwardly to the metatarsus, but leaving the entire cavity of the toot completely free so that the foot is nowhere subjected to a hard metallic Jressure. Between the upper edge of the bow 7) at the side of the cavity and the edge of the frame a at the exterior side of the sole a siupporting member 0 of a non-extensible but pliable material, for instance such leather mentioned in the introductory part of this specification, is spread, this mom or 0 serving as bearing member for the foot and transmitting the weight to the me a, or to the how 6 respectively. The bearii'ig member 0 is, preferably, exchange- :zbie so that the insertion can be3accommodated to the more or less progressive sinking oi the foot cavity, andthe process of reforming the normal loot cavity can be gradually followed by inserting bridges with a lesser sagging, For this purpose the bearing member (I is provided at each of its two edges with a susp nsion bar (Z, or 0 respectively, having a hoes-shaped profile, by which bars said member 0 can be hung up easily between edges of the frame a, or of the how 6 7' respectively. i

It is a matter of course that the bearing member 0 can be attached directly to the frame a, or to the bow b, of the frame a, that is to say, without the suspension bars d 80 and. e. I wish it to be understood that I consider this constructionali'orm as falling within the scope of the present invention.

My improved insertion for shoes and boots for flat-footed persons presents the advantage that the bridge engaging the upwardly directed and yielding bow I) gives this latter an impulse by which it tends to move inwardly whereby the foot cavity is raised L17 hi 9 without spreading the metatarsus, and the 1 0 shin bone is lifted over the middle plane of the foot. The entire middle foot is, thus, kept together at every step and is raised together with the shin bone towards the middle axis of the foot.

Another and particular advantage of the improved insertion resides also in the light weight thereof.

Instead of a frame a solid metallic insertion, the rim of which is elastic only at that portion which extends upwardly at the foot cavity, may be used.

The adaptation of the insertion proceeds as follows:

The insertion is first immersed into a liquid, for instance water, and is left therein until the certain suitable material, of which it consists, has become pliable. The now pliable insertion is withdrawn from the respective liquid, and dried for a short time, whereafter it is placed immediately into the shoe or boot in connection with which it is to be used. The saddle accommodates itself automatically to the shape of the foot cavity, is soon completely dried by the warmth of the body, and becomes hard after a very short time. The thus shaped insertion keeps its shape and constitutes or represents a natural imprint of the foot cavity, whereby a plaster-cast is rendered unnecessary.

An insertion manufactured in the above described manner does not give way owing to the particular property of its material, as mentioned, even if during the practical use of the insertion it should become moist, for instance by reason of the wearer suffering from perspiring feet or the boot or shoe having become leaky so that rain water etc. can find access thereinto.

claim:

An insertion for boots and shoes, compris ing in combination an open metallic frame the inner side of which forms an elastic supporting bow curved upwardly at the side of the foot, a foot supporting layer formed of an inextensible, but pliable material supported by the frame and curved in such a manner that its part fastened to the inner side also lies against the side of the foot, fastening means for attaching said layer to said frame extending along the middle por tion only of the sides of the frame, so that when the supporting bow is subjected to the load of the foot it yields elastically inwardly and thus elevates the inner longitudinal arch without spreading the bones thereof.

In testimony whereof I have afiiXed my signature.

OTTO HILDEBRANDT. 

